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Grunts and chuckles

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Grunts and chuckles

Postby ctdad » 06 23, 2013 •  [Post 1]

In the post up your elk sounds thread, glacier country recommended I add a couple more grunts to my calls but then mentioned that each scenario is different and I would have to use my own discretion. So, glacier country, could you (or anyone else) give me an example of when it is appropriate to do more or fewer grunts (or chuckles)?

When a bull is making grunts or chuckles, sometimes they will make just a couple and sometimes they will string them out and do quite a few. Anybody know why that is or what it means when they do fewer vs. more?

Does it make sense to try to mimic the bull you are calling to (assuming they are calling back to you)?
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Re: Grunts and chuckles

Postby ElkNut1 » 06 23, 2013 •  [Post 2]

Key factors are, chuckles are an invitation or a come on over this way used by any bull, size of bull or matureness is irrelevant! Generally done in 4-6 per series & rapid with no hesitation between them & softer in volume than grunts, almost ape like in sound. (I've heard up to a doz) This tone can become quite demanding at times as encounters get closer as a bull trying to call you his way to your cow calling. Other times a bull will quickly try & gather a harem together with a "round-up bugle" it's a short lip bawl scream/bugle (one note) followed by 5-6 chuckles, he may do this more than once depending on urgency! Chuckling is not used for intimidation! Read this situation correctly & you have a chance with quick action, read it wrong & the herd is long gone!

In this situation if you bugled & this chuckling was a herd bulls response he possibly has cows and is quickly calling them together for possible escape, you'll know if he has cows if he gives a series of chuckles 2-3 times inside a minute after your initial bugle, this denotes urgency for his harem to gather & possibly shows he has quite a few cows to gather! Do your best to get inside 70 yds & give a short urgent scream, (one note) this is a sound bulls use to call cows their way, this herd bull will not want to share & most likely will see red & come over to push this intruder bull away.

Satellites will also you chuckles as an invite to other satellites too!

Grunts are used for intimidation or challenges, there is short hesitation between each grunt as he sucks air in when compared to chuckling & have a base type sound. Grunts generally never exceed 3-4 & many times you will find bulls give a grunt or two in front of a scream/bugle or just behind a scream/bugle & at times both depending on encounter. Bulls & cows know the difference between the two & we should too! It can make or break a hunt!

Don't worry about being great at either one of these, more importantly be able to identify these sounds from a distance & therefore you can form a strategy before your next move, this will help out more than being a great grunter or chuckler yet not knowing the difference between the two & using them at the wrong times when needed! Grunting or Chuckling is not needed to kill elk as there are other sounds elk use to accomplish the same results & are easier to master for us hunters but if possible chuckling is more important between the two to master! Key is to "IDENTIFY" what you're hearing, now you will know what this bull is asking for or is getting ready to do, it's all in reading a situation & adapting to it!

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Grunts and chuckles

Postby Slim jim » 06 23, 2013 •  [Post 3]

Paul, can I just bring you along on my elk hunt for calling so I can just focus on getting set for the shot. Lol
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Re: Grunts and chuckles

Postby bnsafe » 06 23, 2013 •  [Post 4]

right after I get my slimjim, lol, I wish I could wrap my mind around all this info
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Grunts and chuckles

Postby Slim jim » 06 23, 2013 •  [Post 5]

I hear what you're saying just wish I knew exactly what them damn elk are saying. Haha
I've been listening and studying Paul's DVDs and handbook. Should be good when time comes
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Re: Grunts and chuckles

Postby Glacier Country » 06 23, 2013 •  [Post 6]

Ctdad,I posted this audio clip in the other thread but, I suppose it can go here as well. I think this kinda illustrates what Paul is telling you. I Bugled and Grunt at this bull because I am challenging him. He is a herd bull 2801sh PY 6 point. He comes to 11 steps in this encounter. I call him in several times that day. I had already killed one. Just testing out different calls on this one. I will agree that it is wise to know the difference between chuckles and grunts> When to use them or NOT to use them. Here is a huge tip. If you can not do realistic grunts and chuckles... you are better off not using them!!!

Alot of it has to do with Tone, Intensity, and Pitch. Notice how closely ( realistic) I try to match the bugles and grunts of this bull. When he answers notice how close his grunts are to mine. He almost mimics me the second time and he CUTS Me Off. You want to know what to do in those situations I agree...but,I don't care what anybody says. The more realistic you sound the better! I am Always trying to sound better! Count the number of grunts he does.He starts grunting before I finish mine... I think he does about 7 or 8 grunts. He came trotting in just after this sequence of calls.
Hope this Helps ... Troy Glacier Country Hunting Calls
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Re: Grunts and chuckles

Postby ctdad » 06 24, 2013 •  [Post 7]

I have a decent understanding of the different meanings of what grunts vs chuckles means to an elk. Like Glacier country recommends, I'm trying to improve the quality of my calling so that I can have better success in the field. I realize that what I say is more important than sounding perfect. I just wondered if anyone has any idea why one bull might grunt 1-2 times and another one might grunt 7-8 times. Does that mean the second one is more angry? I doubt anyone can know for sure, but I wondered what you guys thought.

Paul, I appreciate the summary of how the two calls are different and some more scenarios of where I'll hear them and what they mean. The more I situations I work through now, the easier this stuff is in Sept.

This is my second year of learning the language. Just want to keep learning and improving
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